Final season for Tigers' Campbell

[cub]

http://www.theage.com.au/realfooty/news/AFL/Final-season-for-Tigers-Campbell/2005/03/14/1110649126923.html


It has been widely discussed for some time, but Tigers veteran Wayne Campbell yesterday announced he would pull the pin on his 15-year VFL/AFL career at season's end.

Campbell was captain from 2001 until last year under Danny Frawley, but Frawley's replacement, Terry Wallace, will announce a new skipper today from a shortlist of Nathan Brown, Joel Bowden, Kane Johnson and Matthew Richardson, with Johnson the favourite.

The 32-year-old Campbell said he hopes to take on an informal leadership role at the club in his last year, providing guidance for the young list the Tigers faithful hope will make their club a force again.

"I really, really enjoyed the captaincy. It's the biggest honour I've had and I think it made me a better player. But that was a perfect time to hand it on to someone else, with me playing my last year and me still being around to help whoever was the new captain if they need any help," Campbell said.

He said his body was still in reasonable condition, but that his decision to retire reflected a desire to open a new chapter in his life.

"The body feels pretty good, but I think it's the stage where you've got to go and do something else. It'll be hard because footy's been my life for 15 years," he said.

"I've certainly got lots of ideas, but I'm not sure which one of those comes up, or whether there's an other idea, which there probably is, that I end up doing. I'm sure in the next 30 years, I'll do a number of things, but where that goes, I have no idea."

Campbell's last year will be played out as an onballer and forward, rather than in his customary midfield or roving half-back role.

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Strange that he would make uo his mind before the season - especially if he had a good year and with the kids and all I would be staying on as long as I could if I was still contributing.

[mightytiges]

Fair point CUB. I'd guess it allows Cambo to go out on his terms rather than Wallace or Miller tapping him on the shoulder midway through the year if he's a shadow of his former self like he was in 2004. It also gives the Club certainity about what's going to happen with Cambo and in terms of trades and the draft comes year's end. Cambo retiring will free up even more dollars under the salary cap. If a good player at another club is out of contract and wants to leave/come home then we'll be ready to act quickly.

I personally think he's making the right call. He's no longer our prime midfielder with younger guys  now ahead of him and sadly even if he played on another year he wouldn't be part of any future success as that's a couple of years off at least. Use him as a pinch hitter coming off the bench when the initial heat and pace has come off the game. Hopefully for his and our sake his body is ok (unlike last year) and he has a good year and ends his playing career on a positive note. 

[JohnF]

Good on him for having enough self respect to realise that he is past his prime and would be embarassing himself by the standards he set himself throughout hsi career to keep playing on in 2006.

Still good enough to get a game but has been on the decline since 2003 and is now near unrecognisable to what he once was.

Hopefully he goes out on his team mates' shoulders and not in obscurity after another injury.

[WilliamPowell]

I hope he ends up playing all 22 games because I will admit I am concerned he will get suspended somewhere along the line during the season

Watching him on Saturday (and throughout the pre-season for that matter) he seems like a very angry old man 


PS: From a purely sentimental perspective I would actaully like to see him keep going to 300 - he deserves it

[froars]

Not ever being much of a Campbell fan (coming from an incident from when he was rude to me when he was younger lol), I've never really liked him as a player or held much respect for him.  Having said that, I do acknowledge that despite what i think of him, he has been a great servant of the club, and I hope his last year at the club is a memorable one.  He deserves a great send off.

Never thought much of him as a player, but he gained a lot of credence a couple of years ago (2001 or 2002, can't remember), but it was just before he got injured.  I thought that was his best year at the club, better than any year he won his B&Fs. 

I'm sure this thread is going to come up quite a bit this year - enter JohnF lol.  Gotta say though, never met a more devoted Cambo fan.  So enjoy Cambo's last year Johnboy!

[mightytiges]

Never thought much of him as a player, but he gained a lot of credence a couple of years ago (2001 or 2002, can't remember), but it was just before he got injured.  I thought that was his best year at the club, better than any year he won his B&Fs. 

Agree Moi. That would have been the first 8 or so games in 2003. Was absolutely flying in combo with Cogs and Johnson in the midfield. No wonder we won 6 of our first 8 games. Cambo had 6 Brownlow votes as well by round 8. Sadly he copped the calf injury he now carries and we then stupidly tried to played him in Perth when he clearly wasn't fit  . Came back and then did his achillies celebrating a goal  against the Cats. His legs have been stuffed since.